Setting a system for assembling mail pieces

Abstract

For machine-producing a series of mail pieces with the aid of a system for assembling mail pieces, the system registers at least one property of at least one physical, postal item of a particular type, at least one code representing the registered property is generated and compared with at least one reference code, stored in a memory, which represents at least one item-type property. If the code representing the at least one registered property exhibits at least a defined extent of agreement with the reference code or at least one of the reference codes, at least one setting code, associated with the reference code or at least one of the reference codes, which represents a system setting is selected; and the production of a series of mail pieces is carried out in accordance with the selected setting code.

1. A method for machine-producing a series of mailpieces for a system for assembling mailpieces, the method comprising a setting phase, a start-up phase following said setting phase and an operating phase following said start-up phase,
 said setting phase comprising the steps of: 
 A. inputting a reference code representing an inherent item-type property of physical postal items; 
 B. inputting a setting code associated with the reference code, the setting code identifying a set of pre-stored system settings; and 
 C. the system storing said reference code and said setting code in a memory, in mutually coupled relationship; 
 the system during said start-up phase comprising the steps of: 
 D. scanning at least one physical postal item and registering an inherent item-type property thereof; 
 E. generating a property code representing at least the registered property; 
 F. searching said memory and comparing said generated property code with the reference code which represents the scanned item-type property; and 
 G. in response to at least a defined extent of agreement between the compared property code and the reference code, selecting the selling code associated with said reference code; 
 H. wherein the reference code, the setting code, and the property code are not attached to the at least one physical postal item; 
 the operating phase comprising the step of:
 producing a series of mailpieces each including said at least one scanned physical item in accordance with the selected selling code. 
 
 
   
   
     2. A method according to  claim 1 , step D further comprising registering at least one other inherent item-type property of physical postal items, wherein:
 said generated property code of step E represents a combination of the registered properties of the physical postal items; 
 the setting code is selected in step G in response to at least a defined extent of agreement between said generated code and a reference code coupled to said setting code, which reference code represents a combination of the item-type properties. 
 
   
   
     3. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the item-type properties of at least two items of different types are registered in step D. 
   
   
     4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein selecting the setting code in step G comprises: preselecting at least two setting codes each representing pre-stored system settings, said setting codes each being coupled to one of the reference codes that are at least to a defined extent in agreement with said code generated from the at least one registered property; and selecting one of said preselected setting codes. 
   
   
     5. A method according to  claim 4 , further comprising representing said preselected setting codes, or said system settings represented thereby, in humanly perceptible form; wherein electing one of said preselected setting codes includes inputting a choice from said represented setting codes or said system settings represented thereby. 
   
   
     6. A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the selection of one of said preselected setting codes depends on agreement between system settings represented by said preselected setting codes and a current system setting. 
   
   
     7. A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the selection of one of said preselected setting codes depends on agreement between item types associated with system settings represented by said preselected setting codes and the types of the physical postal items present in the system. 
   
   
     8. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the registering of the property in step D is carried out in the area of a feeder station of the system. 
   
   
     9. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining a difference between a current loading condition of the system for assembling mailpieces and a required loading condition for assembling mailpieces in accordance with said set of system settings associated with said selected setting code, and signaling an indication associated with said difference. 
   
   
     10. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step A comprises inputting a plurality of reference codes representing respective inherent item-type properties of physical postal items, step B comprises inputting setting codes associated with respective reference codes, each setting code representing a set of pre-stored system settings; and further comprising:
 determining at least two differences between a current loading condition of the system for assembling mailpieces and at least two loading conditions, each required for assembling mailpieces in accordance with one of at least two of said system settings associated with at least two of said selected setting codes; 
 determining a smallest one of said at least two differences; and 
 selecting as first setting code, one of said at least two selected setting codes that belongs to the one of the system settings for which the difference between the required loading condition and the current loading condition of the system for assembling mailpieces is the smallest. 
 
   
   
     11. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step A includes inputting a reference code representing at least a length of a postal item. 
   
   
     12. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step A includes inputting a reference code representing at least a thickness of a postal item. 
   
   
     13. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein step A includes inputting a reference code defined by humanly readable text on a postal item. 
   
   
     14. A computer readable storage medium carrying a computer readable computer program for setting a system for producing mailpieces, comprising instructions for:
 during a setting phase:
 receiving at least one inputted reference code representing at least one inherent item-type property of physical postal items of a particular type; 
 receiving at least one inputted setting code representing at least one system setting; and 
 causing the system to store said at least one reference code and said at least one setting code in a memory, in mutually coupled relationship; 
 
 during a start-up phase following said setting phase:
 causing the system to extract from at least one physical postal item and to register at least one property from the at least one physical postal item; 
 generating a property code representing the at least one registered property; 
 comparing said property code representing the at least one registered property with the at least one reference code, stored in the memory, which represents the at least one item-type property; and 
 in response to at least a defined extent of agreement between the at least one code representing the registered property and the reference code or at least one of the reference codes, selecting at least one setting code, associated with said reference code or said at least one of the reference codes, which represents a system setting; 
 wherein the at least one reference code, the at least one setting code, and the at least one property code are not attached to the at least one physical postal item; and 
 
 during an operating phase following said start-up phase:
 causing a series of mailpieces to be produced, each including at least one of said items of said item type, in accordance with the at least one selected setting code. 
 
 
   
   
     15. A system for producing a series of mailpieces comprising:
 at least one station for processing postal items into mailpieces; 
 a sensor, for sensing at least one physical postal item and for registering at least one inherent item-type property from the at least one physical postal item; 
 a control structure communicatively linked with said sensor for receiving signals from said sensor, which signals represent the at least one property of the at least one physical postal item; 
 a memory for storing at least one reference code representing at least one item-type property of physical postal items of a particular type and at least one setting code representing a system setting associated with said reference code, which memory is communicatively linked with said control structure; 
 wherein the control structure is arranged for: 
 during a setting phase:
 receiving at least one inputted reference code representing at least one item-type property of physical, postal items of a particular type; 
 receiving at least one inputted setting code representing at least one system setting; and 
 storing said reference code and said setting code in a memory, in mutually coupled relationship; 
 
 during a start-up phase following said setting phase:
 comparing the signals from the sensor with said reference code or reference codes stored in the memory, and 
 in response to at least a defined extent of agreement between the signals from the sensor and the reference code or at least one of the reference codes, selecting at least one setting code, associated with said reference code or said at least one of the reference codes, which represents a system setting; 
 wherein the at least one reference code, and the at least one setting code, are not attached to the at least one physical postal item; 
 
 during an operating phase following said start-up phase;
 causing said at least one station to produce a series of mailpieces, each including at least one of said items of said items of said item-type, with the system set in accordance with the selected setting code.